This year, I decided to try a new approach to Spring Break. We're only a few days into it, but (knock on wood) it's been a dream compared to past years. It's only taken me 6+ years to fine tune this puppy. Here's what I've done:

Wednesday, signed the kids up for Club Penguin (using their allowance money).

Thursday night, increased kids' allotted computer time from 2 hrs. to 4hrs. per day and decreased their breaks from 1.5 hrs. to 15 minutes. Left weekly maximum at 15 hrs. (May be increasing that, will let you know.)

Friday afternoon, took the kids to Trader Joe's and stocked up on favorite, usually forbidden, breakfast, lunch and snack foods.

Stocked up on caffeine for me.

Picked out a good book for me to read. (Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin)

So far, I'm halfway through the book, which I started yesterday afternoon. The kids have screamed at each other only minimally. The house only looks a little like it's inhabited by barbarians, and we still have some food left. All is well.